Rupegia

 

A bell rings outside our door and I wake up. "IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!" Matron Daiana yells as she walks.

I slowly open my eyes and sit up on the bed. Without even thinking, my body moves on its own just like every morning.

I turn to the side and put my feet on the cold wooden floor. I extend one hand and open the bedside drawer to take out my clothes. Before anyone can see me, I pull off my sleeping gown and put on my pants and shirt.

The other girls start to wake up while I tighten my sash so my chest looks flat. Then I take out my prized possession: socks made from high-quality Plom fur. With them on, the hard boots feel as soft as cake fresh out of the oven, fluffy but also a little hot.

I cast [Clean] on my face and mouth and feel refreshed. Then I get up on the edge of my bed and peek over the top bunk.

I poke the orange-haired girl. "Fleur?" I call her and poke her again. She groans in response and continues sleeping. "Fleur!"

"Ciel!" She groans in annoyance.

"The Matron is going to throw cold water on you again."

"Let the hag try…" She mutters.

"It's going to wet my bed too, I won't let that happen again."

"Fiine…!"

Fleur climbs out of the bed while and her body sways since she's barely awake. When she starts to put on her shirt, she loses her balance and kisses the floor. The other girls laugh at her, but it will have little effect on that thick head of hers.

"You need to get to sleep earlier," I say.

"No, the Matron is the one that needs a man so she softens the dragon scales that she calls a face!" Fleur complains, her voice muffled by the floor.

I sigh and leave her there.

At least she won't go back to sleep now… or will she? Nah, she'll likely sleep on the floor.

I join the forming procession of priestesses and girls, and walk towards the restaurant. I let my hands trail along the grooves in the wall carved by the priests. The wavy patterns give the hall a calming atmosphere, even when the murmur of the morning becomes loud and noisy.

I stop playing with the carvings and pull out a small brush out of my [Item Box], then I brush my hair as I walk.

The corridor ends and we all pour into the mess hall. On the other side of the hall, the men come in and greet the women quite energetically. A tall blond boy notices me and waves, and then he comes towards me.

"Morning, Ciel," Calum says with a wide smile full of white teeth.

"Morning… Fleur is still in the dormitory."

His smile disappears and he narrows his eyes at me, "Ah, come on. Didn't you say you were going to help her wake up?"

"I did say and I did do that," -I shrug- "Fleur woke up alright, then fell on her face and stayed down. I bet she's sleeping again." I smile wryly.

Calum facepalms and groans.

"You shouldn't keep her up so late, she's not an early riser," I say flatly.

He smiles suggestively and blushes lightly. "Let's just eat. She'll come out, eventually."

I nod and store my hairbrush.

I feel a little bad for keeping the two lovers separate, just a little.

 

Honeyed and soft tea, salty crackers, Reedberry jelly, and a piece of Gorgon pie. Breakfast is comfortable as always.

The other girls give passing greetings and Calum lights up from the attention.

I sigh and say, "I'll tell Fleur."

"T-tell what?" His posture instantly stiffens.

"Actually, there are many things that I could tell…"

"Cie~el…" He turns to me and his face distorts in pain.

I smile faintly. "I'm joking. Just don't flirt around, Fleur doesn't like that."

He nods emphatically and relaxes his posture.

 

When we're almost done eating, Fleur appears in the hall. She looks quite grumpy.

"The Matron found her," we say in unison and chuckle.

Fleur notices us and waves, then she picks up her breakfast before coming to sit with us.

"The Matron found me!" Fleur complains and we chuckle again. "It's not funny!"

"What did she do to you this time?" Calum asks.

Fleur pouts angrily and her pink skin becomes red. "I have to wash the dishes tonight!"

Calum groans like a goblin and the people nearby look at us. Fleur doesn't care, but I look down and try to make myself disappear.

"The Siren is only playing tonight, we can't miss it!" Calum pleads and grabs Fleur's hands.

"I know… but I would rather miss the Siren than face the Matron again after ditching my punishment." Fleur fights back Calum's charm with her own cute pouty face.

"Why don't you two work together? If you two wash the dishes then maybe you can make it in time," I say.

"Oh! Great idea!" Fleur exclaims.

"Y-yes! Great idea!" Calum says, through gritted teeth. "Ah, can you help us?" He adds while staring at me intently.

"No," I say flatly.

"Plee~ase!" Fleur turns her charm towards me and smiles adorably.

I sigh and grab her soft hand. The older girl is certainly a beauty, her orange eyes are entrancing and her hair is so voluminous and healthy. But that's not enough.

"No," I repeat.

Both of them sigh and stop insisting.

 

We separate after breakfast and both of them look pretty uninspired to study. At least they'll still be together during their class.

My class is with Priest Landon, we are going to study the teaching of the Gods, again. I slap my cheeks because a yawn comes just from thinking about it.

"Hey, Ciel," Bitar waves to me and I sit in the chair beside his.

"Hey, Bitar," I greet back without much emotion.

"Did you drink enough tea?" He rests his head on his hand and his blue eyes look at me warmly.

"Just a cup."

He smiles and his eyebrows take flight towards the top of his head. "You should have drunk at least three."

I stay quiet and frown.

He's right, this class is going to be hard.

 

Priest Landon slowly walks into the class and the kids stop talking. The graying Krampus man looks almost like a sheep with the amount of white curly hair that he has.

He finally reaches his desk and opens the ledger. "Morning, children. Now, attendance…"

 

Aya was a tall Pixie, for her race at least. She had a very healthy body, which allowed her to travel much further out of the Crystal Forest than the other Pixies. She traveled so far that she met other humanoids.

For a Pixie, other humanoids are scary giants that speak in another language. For the humanoids, the Pixie is an adorable little flying woman with cute butterfly wings and a high-pitched voice that triggers a desire to hug her.

The little faerie soon noticed how these so-called humans didn't have much strength. She, in her minuscule body that was barely a meter tall, could lift rocks three times her size, while the humans couldn't.

She also noticed how barely any of these humans could use magic. The air too was so lacking in mana that she wondered if she would suffocate if she strayed too far from the Crystal Forest.

"I'm actually stronger than them," she thought. "Much stronger," she added with blooming confidence.

So she decided to let them hug her; let them all hug her; let the hugs fall like rain; let the hugs flow like a river; let the hugs fill her with energy.

Soon, the little faerie was famous among humans, so famous that she quickly found people willing to learn her language and teach her theirs. And with that came the reason why Pixies don't leave the Crystal Forest.

"Can you bring us a crystal?" Asked a human.

One turned into two, that turned into three, that broke the dam and turned it into a flood.

"No crystals! Never!" Little Aya stood her ground.

The humble folk relented, but not the sly ones.

They schemed and deceived, but Aya was no fool. She fought back and built bonds; the people loved her and her kind nature, and because of that they protected her from the greedy scum.

She realized that the scheming would never end because she had something others wanted. So she thought, "Why not trade our surplus for something new, something interesting?"

She went back to the Forest and convinced her friends to come to participate. In the town of Terminus, she established the first trading post of the Crystal Forest.

The town exploded with traffic. Not only could people see the so elusive and charming Gnomes and Pixies, but they could also receive a valuable crystal in exchange for anything that could impress or catch the interest of a cute little trader.

With this, not only did Aya bring incredible gadgets and knowledge back to the Crystal Forest, but she also learned valuable information about the world.

To the south, there was a budding kingdom establishing itself: a wet flat land with grass greener than even the Crystal Forest, the Avgi Kingdom. To the north, there was the mystic kingdom of the wereapes: a place full of damp jungle and colorful plants, the Sommer Kunikreich. To the west was the mountains of the dwarves: a dry and rocky place full of danger, a place called Mountainhome. To the south-west was a protectorate of the Avgi Kingdom: another flat land full of rivers that flood every season, a place called Lorei Laurelai. To the east, there was a land full of recluse wereowls: a land full of hills, tall trees, and cold wind; the names were many, but one stood out, Hermit's Roost.

All these places had their own charm that attracted young Aya to them. Every place had its own culture, people, and environment. Every place was like a book waiting to be read, a painting wanting to be observed, a song begging to be played.

The call was too strong, so strong that Aya couldn't contain it. She had to explore them, she had to visit these places, she must wander the realm.

 

A searing pain on my forehead forces me out of my dream and my head whips back, hurting my neck.

"Having a comfortable nap?" Landon growls at me with his old, gravely voice. His wand is pointing at me and I feel the remnants of a spell in the air. Then I hear the sound of a pebble hitting the ground beside me.

I collect myself and sit straight. "I am sorry, Priest Landon," I immediately say and bow my head.

"Hmpf!" Priest Landon glares at me and continues reciting the teachings of the Goddess of Love.

I have heard so much about these teachings that I'm dreaming about them…

Bitar smiles wryly at me.

"What?" I lowly hiss at him, without much patience.

"I'll wake you up if you fall asleep," he says.

"S-sorry…" I turn away from him blush in shame.

"It's okay," Bitar answers, patient like always.

I feel like sighing again.

If I have a dream like that again then I hope that I don't wake up…

 

After an agonizingly long time, the class ends. I and Bitar go have our lunch and join the two stupid lovers.

"You are going to drop it," I say to Fleur.

She sends me a glance, a grave mistake. In her distraction, the soup drips and a hot droplet hits Calum's leg. He jumps in surprise and pain, which then scares Fleur, making her drop the rest of spoonful of soup on Calum's crotch.

"AAAH!" He yells and turns every cup of water that he can reach on his crotch.

"Why would you do such a dangerous thing," I say to myself out loud.

"Well, it looks fun?" Bitar responds. I turn to him and raise an eyebrow. "What? Being so close to someone you love and feeding them sounds like a good time to me."

I sigh and continue eating my soup.

It sounds like a bother…

 

We join the Matron in the courtyard to hear the job offers. The old ha-… caretaker has a permanent scowl stuck on her face. Her raised lip makes her nose seem larger than it is; her hunched back makes her look like a cripple, but her large stature is still noticeable even from behind her robes; her brown hair is always perfectly tied tight; her metal cane looks more like a weapon than a walking aid.

"Warehouse organization, ten open spots, temporary. Pay: ten copper a day," the Matron announces. The orphans laugh and scoff at the low pay, a single glare from the Matron makes them go quiet. "If you work hard enough, this job is likely to increase your 'Strength' and 'Endurance.' And don't look down on it, the common people who do this job need it and it isn't any less dignified than any other work!"

She might be strict like a drillmaster, but she's right.

"Bookkeeping apprentice, two open spots, permanent. Pay: twenty copper a day." Immediately, most of the kids raise their hands. "'Intelligence' and 'Wisdom' above ten only," she adds and most hands flop down. Eventually, a girl and a boy with the highest stats are chosen.

It starts low but it's an apprenticeship, the benefits are massive.

"Farm harvesting, twenty-five open spots, seasonal. Pay: sixty copper a day. Lunch included"

All the strong orphans raise their hands: most of the boys and some of the girls with strong inheritances. In the end, all open spots are taken.

Not really what I want with my life. Actually, what do I even want to do…?

The Matron rolls her eyes as she states the next offer, "Servant for the Lord, one open spot, male-only. Pay: five silver a day," -Everyone starts murmuring at the same time- "Silence! Only above average height and penis length. You will have to go through an interview and a body inspection later, too. Also, keep in mind you will be required to satisfy both men and women."

The murmuring stops completely for a moment and then restarts with more intensity.

"Silence!"

The Matron tells the usual prostitution jobs for the girls, average of a silver per day. The girls talk between themselves and I see a few starting to change their minds. They pay is good, but the job is tiring, though you have a much greater chance to marry a rich person if you work there.

Also not my kind of thing… I haven't even kissed a boy yet…

I feel a sigh forming and suppress it.

"Guard duty, always with open spots, permanent. Pay: thirty copper a day, a bunk bed to sleep, basic equipment, and skill training every afternoon."

Everyone goes silent and don't look her in the eye, even me. We are all too ashamed to admit that we are cowards and would rather not fight.

Without a hint of a reaction, the Matron continues, "Priesthood initiation, always with open spots, permanent. Pay: thirty-five copper a day."

Priesthood is the same, less dangerous but still a lot of hard work.

If I don't find anything interesting then I will become a priestess.

"Cleaning with magic, four open spots, temporary. Pay: a silver a day."

Only me and Bitar raise our hands. Kids who can use enough magic to actually use [Clean] on an entire room are rare.

He smiles wryly, "Guess we are together again, partner."

Oh, joy.

"Not this time," the Matron interrupts. "Ciel, you go to the male priests quarters, the empty rooms from 120 to 130; a new batch of priests are coming and we need to clean the empty rooms. Bitar, you go to Wild Rabbit brothel and clean five of their rooms."

"What?!" Bitar exclaims, wide-eyed.

"Sorry…" I mutter and contain my laugh as much as I can. It would be very mean to laugh at him right now.

Bitar bites his tongue and glares at the Matron. She glares back without flinching. Her gaze is so strong and mean that Bitar withers and relents. He shrinks and walks away while grumbling.

The Matron turns to me, her expression is still as stiff as stone. "You deserve better than cleaning that mess. Make sure you work hard so you impress someone special," she says lowly so only I can hear.

I stare at her with my mouth hanging open for a few seconds and she just casually returns to reading the next job offers.

Wow… she… actually likes me?

I turn around and walk towards the priests' quarters.

Thank you, Matron. I feel bad for Bitar, but still, thank you.

 

After a short walk, I get to the priests quarters and find the empty rooms. Cobwebs in every corner; a layer of dust covering every surface; tainted windows and floorboards; furniture that hasn't seen the sun in quite a while.

I sigh and go to the janitor's closet, then I grab a broom and a few chemicals.

I have two points in [Cleaning] and that will be enough, it has to be enough. I will not be a [Clean]er all my life, I swear to myself that I won't be.

I put on some leather gloves and start cleaning.

 

I turn around to leave the room and freeze. Leaning on the doorway, a young priest watches me with kind eyes and a small smile. I see a large bag by his feet.

"Is this going to be your room?" I ask, reflexively.

"Oh, so you're a human…" He smirks. I don't really understand this joke. "Well, I hope so. Seeing how well you are cleaning it, I would prefer to choose this one in case you get tired and slack on others."

"O-of course not! I will clean them all equally."

"I hope so. Anyway, are you done with this room?"

"Yes, you can move in. Wait, what did you mean by 'so you're human'?" I give him an odd look.

He chuckles once and says, "Well, you were working so diligently, but also so soullessly, that I thought someone summoned a human-looking elemental or something." He shrugs.

"Cleaning is hardly the most exciting job around," I say and start to gather my equipment.

"Is that so? And what would you prefer to be doing?"

I shrug in answer.

I truly don't know.

"You've got a nice amount of mana, have you ever thought about becoming a real mage?"

I look at him and his stupid kind smile is still plastered on his face. "To fight monsters and die by a monster?"

His smile fades and turns into a concerned look. "What a grim view that you have…"

I turn back and continue my work. "Not grim if it's the truth."

"There's more to being a mage than just killing monsters. Have you ever thought about healing people?"

I immediately put down the bucket that I had just started to carry. "And who would spend their time teaching such valuable and complex magic to me?"

His stupid smile comes back. "I would."

I stare at his beady black eyes from behind his half-circle glasses and harden my face. "You better not be joking, I don't like to be played with."

Don't raise my hopes just to squash them, please!

He clenches his fist over his chest. "I swear on my admiration of the Goddess of Love that I am not lying or playing with you."

Goddess of Love…? Matron, I feel like the God of Luck is playing with us.

"T-then, please, do teach me!" I plead and bow at a right angle.

"First, we have to prepare you mentally," the young priest says in a serious tone.

I immediately straighten and stare him in the eye. "What is it?"

His smile fades. "Have you ever seen someone die?"

"No."

"Then you will, better sooner than later."

"W-what are we going to do?" I ask, apprehensively.

"First we are going to the clinic, then we are going outside and joining a Purge."

I gasp. "WHAT?!"

His kind smiles come back and disarm my tension. His voice turns soft and tickles my ears, "If you stay by my side, it will be fine. This is something we have to do. I won't waste my time with you if you don't have the fortitude to stay on your toes after seeing blood being spilled." Then his voice becomes serious again, "Understood?!"

"Yes, sir!" I exclaim before I can stop myself, and start to blush in embarrassment.

His face softens again and his stupid kind smile becomes wider. "We'll go tomorrow morning. You have to finish this job first, don't you?"

Ah, well…

"What's your name, girl?"

"Ciel."

"I'm Arantos, pleasure to meet you."